


Violence Inherent in the System

by wickedblackbird



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Schönberg/Boublil, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Crack, Gen, Humor, Monty Python, come see the violence inherent in the system, help help they're being repressed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-29
Updated: 2013-03-29
Packaged: 2017-12-06 21:30:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/740370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedblackbird/pseuds/wickedblackbird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a fine day, King Louis Philippe I decided. The sun was shining brightly on the streets of Paris, the air was finally warming with the coming of spring, and his subjects were bustling about their business. It had been a good decision to ride out and make a show of his presence.</p>
<p>Too bad no one will acknowledge his supreme executive power.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Violence Inherent in the System

**Author's Note:**

> For the following prompt on the kinkmeme:
> 
> Grantaire did not vote for any king, and Enjolras believes that supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not some farcical aquatic ceremony.
> 
> They are being repressed.

It was a fine day, King Louis Philippe I decided. The sun was shining brightly on the streets of Paris, the air was finally warming with the coming of spring, and his subjects were bustling about their business. It had been a good decision to ride out and make a show of his presence.

The peasants certainly must like such things, he thought, smiling benevolently as they curtseyed and bowed to his fine retinue. It would remind them of the splendour of their restored monarchy. And what could be better than knowing they had such a fine king? Louis Philippe knew he was much better than that sour old Charles X -- even the uneducated people knew that.

The broad avenue opened into a square, and Louis Philippe rode proudly forth. Then stopped and waited.

No one bowed.

He blinked, staring around. There were a fair number of people milling about in the square, but none even spared a glance in his direction. Nearest the king, two young men stood outside a café, arguing loudly. One was clearly drunk.

Louis Philippe cleared his throat pointedly. The young men fell silent, and turned to look at him expectantly. The younger of the two - a golden and handsome youth - crooked an eyebrow. The King waited. After a moment of silence, the young men shrugged, and returned to their discussion.

Well. That was new. Did they not know who he was?

Louis Philippe impatiently gestured to Lambert, the head of his guard.

'You!' Lambert barked. 'Boy!'

'Enjolras,' the golden youth replied.

His response took them all off-guard.

'What?' Lambert asked, taken aback.

'His name's Enjolras,' the drunk said. 'And mine's Grantaire. Not that you asked.'

A few of the guards started to chuckle. Lambert quelled them with a look.

'Your names are not important! Did you not see? You must bow to the king.'

'The people do not recognise any such king,' Enjolras said coolly.

'I didn't vote for you,' Grantaire supplied helpfully.

Louis Philippe gaped at them.

'You - you!' he spluttered. 'You do not get to decide that! The people do not get to decide who is king.'

'How'd you become king, then?' Grantaire asked, shaking his bottle for emphasis. Wine splattered against the guards' boots and the horse's hooves.

'The people _did_ decide on you,' Enjolras said. 'But your reign becomes intolerable. The people do not recognise you any longer. And the people must decide!'

This was entirely too much. Louis Philippe could feel his face heating in anger and embarrassment. How dare this young upstart and his drunken friend challenge him!

'Be quiet! The people did not make me king. I am the rightful king. Now be quiet, and make your obedience!"

'I show obedience to Patria alone,' the young man declared. 'And you do her people wrong.'

This was entirely wrong. Where had they gotten such strange ideas? Desperate, Louis Philippe decided that the youth would have to bow before things got too far out of hand, and others thought they could be so disrespectful of his crown. He grabbed Enjolras by his jacket, pulling him close to his horse.

'I am king. And I say you shall bow to me.'

'Citizens!' Enjolras shouted. 'Behold the tyranny of the proclaimed King!'

A crowd had begun to gather around them, staring and murmuring. Louis Philippe could feel sweat beading on his brow.

'Shut up,' he hissed, shaking the young man.

'Look how he represses the voice of truth! Look how he seeks to silence me!' Enjolras stood tall, and the king had the sinking feeling that he was the one who was trapped. 'See the violence inherent in the system! Citizens! We must fight against tyranny!'

'Yeah!' Grantaire echoed, weaving and bobbing. 'See the violence inherent in the system!'

'I said: _shut up_!'

'The violence inherent in the system!'

Lambert moved to silence Grantaire, but even more young men came out from the café and stood in his way. They all stared impassively at the king. Enjolras pulled from the king's grasp, and addressed the crowd in a clear, strong voice.

'Citizens! See how the king seeks to force us into silent submission. He does not believe that he needs a mandate from the people to rule. But it is us he rules! What gives him such power? A crown? A bit of gold? I say the gold belongs to the people. To France! My friends, should the people not rule their own lives? Should we not be free of the repression of this mock monarchy? A republic, friends! Our republic!'

Even more people were filling the square, crowding around to hear the speech. Grantaire led them to cheer.

Louis Philippe did what any sensible man would do. He rode away as fast as his horse could carry him, guards hurrying to keep up. Behind him, he could still hear Enjolras holding forth on the nature of tyranny.

This madness was what came of talking to the people, he decided. They got ideas above their station. And the sky was beginning to cloud over. Perhaps it had not been such a fine day for riding after all.


End file.
